bhagavad-gitagitakrishnasvadharma

Shreyan Svadharmo Vigunah (Bhagavad Gita 3.35)

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः

🕉️ hindu·📿 11× repetitions·🕐 Morning, especially when facing important decisions about one's work, duty, or life path·📜 Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 35

Also known as: shreyan svadharmo vigunah · bhagavad gita 3.35 · gita chapter 3 verse 35 · svadharma verse · swadharme nidhanam shreyah · paradharmo bhayavahah

📜 Complete Lyrics 📖 Word-by-Word Meaning ✨ Benefits & How to Chant ⬇️ PDF Download

Read in your language / script

हिन्दी / देवनागरीతెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 35, Lord Krishna delivers his celebrated teaching on svadharma — one's own innate duty and nature. He declares that it is better to follow one's own path, even with faults, than to imitate another's path, however well it may be performed. This verse affirms authenticity over imitation, urging each person to act according to their true nature and calling rather than abandoning it out of fear or comparison.

Origin & Story

Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3, Verse 35 · Spoken by Lord Krishna to Arjuna; recorded by Sage Veda Vyasa in the Mahabharata (Bhishma Parva) · Ancient (part of the Mahabharata, traditionally dated to the Dvapara Yuga)

The third chapter of the Gita, Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action, addresses why and how one must act in the world. Arjuna had been tempted to renounce his duty as a warrior and withdraw from the battlefield, imagining a contemplative life to be higher. Krishna gives this verse to remind him that his own dharma, fighting a righteous battle, is the right path for him, and that to abandon it for another's path would be perilous and fearful.

✦ As told in scripture

Generations of seekers have found their life's direction in this verse, choosing the harder road of their own true calling over the easier comfort of imitation. It is said that those who hold firm to their svadharma, trusting Krishna's words, find that even apparent failure on their own path becomes a stepping-stone to liberation.

0all time

The Mantra

Tap any line — or the ▶ button — to hear it recited

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुणः परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात्। स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः॥

śhreyān swa-dharmo viguṇaḥ para-dharmāt sv-anuṣhṭhitāt swa-dharme nidhanaṁ śhreyaḥ para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ

Meaning:It is far better to perform one's own duty, even imperfectly, than to perform another's duty perfectly. Even death in the course of one's own duty is better; to follow another's path is perilous and fraught with fear.

Word-by-Word Meaning

Click any word to hear its pronunciation

श्रेयान्🔊śhreyānbetter, more beneficial

स्वधर्मः🔊swa-dharmaḥone's own duty, one's own prescribed path

विगुणः🔊viguṇaḥimperfect, lacking in merit, tinged with faults

परधर्मात्🔊para-dharmātthan another's duty

स्वनुष्ठितात्🔊sv-anuṣhṭhitātthough perfectly performed, well discharged

स्वधर्मे🔊swa-dharmein one's own duty

निधनम्🔊nidhanamdeath

श्रेयः🔊śhreyaḥbetter, preferable

परधर्मः🔊para-dharmaḥanother's duty, the path meant for someone else

भयावहः🔊bhayāvahaḥfraught with fear, dangerous

Benefits of Chanting Shreyan Svadharmo Vigunah (Bhagavad Gita 3.35)

✦

Inspires the courage to follow one's own authentic path and calling

✦

Frees the mind from harmful comparison with others' lives and duties

✦

Affirms the dignity of doing one's own work, however humble or imperfect

✦

Guides decision-making toward one's true nature (svadharma) and away from imitation

✦

Strengthens resolve and removes fear when standing firm in one's rightful duty

✦

Reminds the seeker that fidelity to one's own dharma is itself a spiritual discipline

How to Chant Shreyan Svadharmo Vigunah (Bhagavad Gita 3.35)

Repetitions11times

Best TimeMorning, especially when facing important decisions about one's work, duty, or life path

Recite this verse in Sanskrit while reflecting on your own svadharma — your innate nature and rightful duty. It may be chanted 3, 11, or 21 times. Contemplate the assurance that following your own path, even imperfectly, leads to growth, while abandoning it to imitate others brings fear. Use it to steady the mind before acting on a difficult but rightful choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

It means 'Better is one's own duty, though imperfect, than the duty of another well performed. Better is death in one's own duty; another's duty is fraught with fear.' It is Krishna's teaching on svadharma in Bhagavad Gita 3.35.

Svadharma means 'one's own dharma' — the duty, role, and path that flow naturally from one's own nature and station in life. The Gita teaches that fulfilling one's svadharma, even imperfectly, is spiritually superior to abandoning it to take up someone else's duty.

Acting against one's own nature creates inner conflict, instability, and insecurity, because it is not rooted in who one truly is. Krishna calls this 'bhayavaha' (fearful) to warn that imitating another's path, however attractive, leads away from one's authentic growth.

Yes. A closely related teaching appears again in Bhagavad Gita 18.47, reaffirming that it is better to perform one's own duty imperfectly than another's duty well. This repetition underlines how central svadharma is to the Gita's message.